


Empty

by DeiXIV



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Historical, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Suicide Attempt, Zenos Needs a Hug, idiots to lovers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-16 13:07:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29207838
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeiXIV/pseuds/DeiXIV
Summary: On a quest to end his own life, Zenos seeks a fox spirit that, if the rumors are to be believed, just may be powerful enough to give him the end that he seeks. However, this encounter would instead send him on an unexpected journey that may or may not lead to the desired results.
Relationships: Zenos yae Galvus/Original Character(s), Zenos yae Galvus/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. It is a Lovely Morning in the Forest and You Are a Horrible Fox

**Author's Note:**

> This AU is living in my head rent-free and I'm about to make it everyone's problem. All thanks to this asshole and their GORGEOUS art. Please perceive it: https://twitter.com/vaynglories/status/1357455153964589057

The forest was lovely, but otherwise unextraordinary. The lone man roamed and roamed with seemingly little clue of where his destination lay. Simple robes of crimson draped his body, dancing with the motion of the breeze as he walked along. Silence creeped upon him more and more the deeper he walked. Only the crunch of grass and leaves beneath his feet and occasional flutter of his sleeves could be heard. No birds, no scattering rodents or shuffling predators were seen nor heard for hours. Perhaps he was getting closer. 

Something fluttered past his peripheral vision that almost appeared to be an autumn leaf. That couldn’t be, could it? It was still springtime. He thought nothing else of it, assuming that it may have been a butterfly. Soon, another drifted past, but this time he caught it in his hand. Indeed, it was an autumn-colored leaf. Though his expression remained stoic and unchanging, a quickened beating of his heart gave him the jolt to press forward with quickened haste. The color palette of the forest seemed to change the farther in he dashed, from the vibrant greens of spring to the warm colors of autumn. Even the air around him felt a little bit colder than before.

Eventually, he found a clearing and couldn’t help stopping to stare. The trees seemed higher than the forest he just left, and all the leaves were various shades of oranges and maroon; even the grass below his feet was painted a brilliant shade of red. The sound of a flowing creek disrupted the silence he had grown used to, but he could not see any water from where he stood. Surely, this had to be the place he sought, now to find out if the legends bore true.

“ _Well, well… another foolish human trespassing where he doesn’t belong. If you are lost, turn around now or face the consequences._ ” A voice echoed through the vast space, carried by a gust of wind that whipped the man’s flowing blond hair and the cloth of his robes. Though the voice took him by surprise, he still made no change in expression. 

“Are you the kitsune that resides in this place? Show yourself.”

“Hmph!” A purple and blue flame sparked atop a boulder that stood a fair distance away from him. From that flame, a human-like figure appeared, though the pointed ears atop his head and many tails behind him was enough to indicate he was anything but. Under different circumstances, he’d say the creature before him was quite beautiful. His skin was nearly as fair as the silver hair atop his head and the silky, fluffy tails behind his back. Strangely, he wore a woman’s kimono as black as the night sky, but it suited his feminine appearance. “I’ve had rude company before, but I think you’re the _rudest_ ! Trespassing _and_ making demands!? Seems I’ll be eating well tonight!” Untucking his arms from beneath his sleeves, he pointed a clawed finger at the stranger. “For trespassing upon my territory, I will devour your body and soul!”

“Good.” The man replied simply, unsheathing one of the three katanas fastened to his waist.

The kitsune blinked, one ear twitching several times. “Wh… what?”

“Good.” He said again. “I came here to die by your hand, assuming the tales of your strength ring true. However, I will not go down without a fight. Steel yourself. I’m ready.”

“I… _hmph_ .” The spirit huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Hmph. HMPH! Well, now I don’t _want_ to!”

“I… beg your pardon?”

“Well what’s the _fun_ of fighting one who _wants_ to die? What joy could I possibly get if I’m sucking the marrow from your broken bones and you _don’t_ beg and cry for me to spare your life?? I could come down there right now and cut your leg off and you’d probably still give me that same dull, blank expression you wear now! **Hmph!** ” He stomped his foot, tails swishing in agitation. “Get out of my forest you dull human!” With a flick of his wrist, he disappeared in another flash of brilliant flame. 

“Hey, no! Get back here!” The man tried in vain to chase after him, but he was met with a wall of wind that swept him off his feet back into the familiar green surroundings. “Tch… that cannot stop me!” Quickly getting back on his feet, he charged ahead, but quickly felt disoriented. What was that? He was still in the green forest, but it somehow felt different. Turning around and taking a few steps, he felt the same disoriented feeling. Could it be? Reaching ahead of him, his hand appeared to be slightly warped, much as if he were dipping it into a clear spring. The spirit must have put a protective ward around his territory to keep him out. Damn.

* * *

By the time he returned to civilization, the sun had long gone down. The wandering man was exhausted and, most importantly, starving. The intoxicating aroma from a nearby ramen stand seduced him without a second thought. Seating himself at an empty stool, he waited patiently for his order to be taken. It was quite late, so the only other customers present were two men that seemed to be friends. 

“Thank you for your patience! Welcome to Maruchan Ramen, may I-” The server paused, blinking. “Um… I’m sorry sir, but your pet cannot sit at the bar with you.” 

“Huh?” He arched a brow. “But I don’t have a- … …” Chancing a glance beside him, there was indeed an animal sitting at the stool next to him; a pink-nosed white fox, happily wagging his fluffy tail. “What… are _you_ doing here?” He spat with grit teeth. 

The fox looked to him, closing his eyes. He swore it was grinning at him. Though some would find it cute, he thought it was rather unnerving. 

“Down, boy.” He commanded, pointing to the ground. The fox silently responded by pointing his nose in the air, eyes still shut, but somehow no longer seeming to smile. “Look…” The man sighed, addressing the server. “He doesn’t like sitting on the ground… _he’s a_ **_spoiled_ ** _brat_ … can you please let this slide? I’ll make sure he behaves.”

“I’m sorry sir, but those are the rules…”

“Then allow me to rephrase…” He started, pulling a pendant from beneath his robes. “You _will_ allow him to sit with me.”

“O-oh!” The man blinked, nearly jumping back. “I-I’m so terribly sorry I hadn’t realiz-”

“Enough. Say another word and it’ll be your last. I’ll have a bowl of beef ramen at your earliest convenience. Biggest bowl you offer.”

The nervous server bowed deeply and returned to the stove. “ _Hmm. Not bad, human…_ ” He heard a quiet but familiar voice beside him. “ _Question, how did you make him submit like that so easily??_ ”

“That doesn’t matter.” He responded, whispering. “Answer _my_ question, _why_ are you here?”

“ _Tch, obviously I followed you. Stupid human._ ” He licked his paw and began grooming his face.

“ _Obviously_ . But _why_ did you follow me??”

“ _Because I wanted to._ ” 

“Why… did you _want_ to?” He growled, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

“ _Hmm…_ ” The fox hummed, tilting his head in thought. “ _Dull though you may be, you fascinate me, human. You have this… gloom… an_ **_emptiness_ ** _in your soul I’ve never sensed in a human before. I wish to follow you, to observe you to see why that is so._ ” 

The server silently placed the large bowl of ramen before the man, bidding that the man tell him if he should require anything else. He waited for the server to be distracted by another customer before he responded. “No thank you. I imagine you’re more trouble than you’re worth. And I have a name, you know. It’s Zenos.”

“ _Strange name. I don’t think I’ll use it. Mine is Natural, if you must know. In fact, you probably should since I’ll be sticking around whether you want me to or not._ ” 

“ _My_ name is strange? _Yours_ isn’t even a real name.” 

“ _What is a name but a word used to address oneself? Whether it is ‘real’ or not is irrelevant. You’d do best to remember that. But still,_ **_yours_ ** _is quite strange._ ” Zenos did not answer, choosing instead to eat his food. Sheesh, how does a human show such little emotion with every little thing he does? Surely he hadn’t eaten all day considering the distance between this village and the forest, and that food smelled _incredible_ , yet he showed no sign of satisfaction. Natural sat in silence, observing his strange surroundings, occasionally sniffing the air. His ear twitched as he picked up a nearby customer’s request for hot sake. Natural’s eyes lit up and he immediately began batting a paw at Zenos’s arm. “ _Hey! Human! You should order a hot sake!_ ”

“I’m not thirsty.” He replied bluntly before devouring another mouthful of noodles.

“ _No you simple fool, not for you! For meeeee!_ ”

“Why should I do _you_ a favor? You wouldn’t even fight me when I asked.”

Natural stared at him. “ _...how badly do you want to finish that ramen?_ ”

Zenos shot a glance at the fox, his eyes narrowed. 

“ _Have you ever heard a fox’s call before? It’s quite obnoxious._ ”

Zenos gave no verbal response. He simply continued to narrow his eyes further.

“... …” Natural threw his head back. “MYAAAA-”

With lightning-like reflexes, Zenos grasped the fox’s mouth, forcing it shut. “Oh for the love of- hey! Can I get a hot sake as well, please?” 

“Right away, milord!” With nervous haste, the server delivered the saucer of sake immediately, placing it beside the bowl of ramen. Hardly looking up from his bowl, Zenos slid the saucer to his unwanted companion, who dutifully lapped it up. Now terribly confused by the display, the server turned around to get back to his work. 

“ _Mmm.. Mmm! MMM!!_ ” Natural hummed with every lap of his tongue. He stopped a moment to take a quick look around. Every man present had his back turned or head in a bowl of ramen. Good. He quickly poofed into his humanlike form to shoot the sake as intended and changed back with only Zenos noticing. “ _MMMMMM!!_ ” He hummed blissfully, tail wagging at full speed. “ _Ohhh that hit the_ **_spot!_ **” He purred, rubbing his body affectionately against Zenos’s arm. 

“Great. So you’re annoying _and_ a drunk.” He mumbled into his food. 

“ _You know, human, if you took the time to enjoy more of life’s little pleasantries, perhaps you wouldn’t have such a gaping emptiness in your atrocious soul.~_ _Now get me another one…_ ”

* * *

“Room for one, please.” Zenos mumbled, setting a handful of coins noisily on the counter.

The man glanced down at the money, then to Zenos. “My apologies sir but we do not allow animals in the building. Your pet will have to stay outside.”

“...Room for two please.” He replied, setting a second handful of coins even more noisily on the counter.

“Right this way, sir!”

The duo followed the innkeeper with Natural happily trit-trotting alongside Zenos’s feet, his tail sticking straight up in the air. Zenos, meanwhile, looked like a man ready to pass out the second his head touches a pillow. Once they were within their room alone with the door shut behind them, Natural swiftly ran for the futon, resuming his humanlike form the second his body collided with the plush surface. “Ohhhh this is comfeeeeyyyyy!” He giggled, rolling around atop the blankets. “Ahh yes this is _far_ better than sleeping up against a tree or curled up in my tails. Hm. Hm. Oh yes indeed~” He hummed with bliss, his cheeks flushed red from all the alcohol he drank.

Zenos stared at him blankly for a moment, then proceeded to ready himself for bed, starting with the removal of his katanas. Natural lay on his side, head propped up by an arm to watch Zenos far too intently. His nine tails swished and squirmed, almost seeming to have minds of their own. He smacked his lips, ready to end the insufferable silence that clung to the room. “So. What are you going to do now?”

“How should I know?” He snapped, leaning the katanas against a nearby wall. “My plans for the day were to die, but _that_ didn’t happen.”

The tails stood still, but his wide-eyed expression did not change. “If you wanna die so bad just kill yourself.” He said quite bluntly. 

Zenos’s neck nearly snapped with how quickly he looked at the fox that lay beside him, glaring daggers right into his eyes. Were all spirits this ruthless? “No. That’s the coward’s way out.” After removing his outer robes, he resigned to sitting at a kotatsu several feet away from the futon. “I tire of this meaningless life, but if I am to die, I’d rather it be in combat. So far, most of the beasts of legend I have encountered fell short of their tales, but I’ve heard much and more about you that gave me a glimmer of hope.”

“Oh yes, I probably could kill you easily.” He replied matter-of-factly, his tails resuming their gentle flicks. “And I could have too, had you not made your intentions clear from the start. Stupid human.” He rolled onto his back, tucking his hands behind his head. “Besides, the lack of fun aside, why should I do you such a favor anyway? Why should _any_ spirit do you humans any favors? You’re all so disrespectful to everything around you. Why, look at _all_ the disrespect _I’ve_ endured today! No sitting at a table? No sleeping under a roof? And to be assumed to be your _pet_ ? Animals provide _so_ much for your kind! The meat that nourishes you, the pelts that cover your disgusting hides, even bones and horns to make your medicine. If animals revolted against your kind you would _surely_ lose if they were properly guided. All you humans would do well to remember that!”

Zenos sighed. “Fine. Have your revolution. See if I care. Hopefully I’ll be dead before it starts.” 

“Sheesh. No fun at all.” He sighed. Natural hummed, deep in thought for just a moment. He rolled back over on his side to face Zenos again. “Well. If it’s a death by glorious combat you’re after, pray tell, have you heard of Shinryu?” 

“Shinryu?” He repeated, brow quirked. “Can’t say I have.”

“Mmm. Not surprising. Shinryu is too powerful to waste his time with you weak humans. He typically picks fights with powerful spirits like yours truly.” He winked, daintily placing clawed fingers upon his chest. “So if it’s death by a terrible beast you’re after, I _might_ just be kind enough to take you to him. You know, as thanks for the sake and this lovely roof over my head and comfortable bed in which I lay.”

Zenos narrowed his eyes, looking upon the kitsune with suspicion. “Huh. That almost sounds too good to be true. Is this a trick?”

“Oh how could this be a trick? Your end goal is death, so what worse could I possibly do than that?”

“Immortality curse.”

Natural snorted. “No such thing exists, no matter how much you humans wish it were so. Look, I can guide you to Shinryu’s home in the mountains or you can deal with me following you around for the rest of your dull, dull life. Your choice.”

Zenos huffed in agitation. Unfortunately, he seemed to be right. At this point, what else could he possibly have left to lose? It wasn’t as if his home was expecting him back anytime soon, if at all. Even if they were, there wasn’t anyone he cared about missing him, nor did he miss any of them in return. After all, he wouldn’t have started on this quest to begin with if that were the case. “Fine. Now get off of the futon so I can sleep.”

Instead of doing that, he scooted to one side of said futon and patted the empty space. “It’s big enough for two.”

“That’s indecent.” 

“Um. Being unconscious beside another living thing…. Indecent? That’s stupid. I don’t even plan on doing anything else. Besides, plenty of men would _kill_ for the opportunity to sleep with me.”

“... Sleep with you or _sleep with_ you?”

“Does it matter~?” He purred. “You know, fights are not the only thing humans are after when they trespass in my forest. I’ve gotten plenty of wedding proposals as well.”

Zenos stared at him in a way that seemed to somehow be even more deadpan than he’s mustered thus far. “Why would anyone want to marry _you_? You’re annoying... And ugly.”

Natural’s torso shot up, the fur on all nine tails bristling as high as they could go. “UM?? _EXCUSE_ ?? **ME** !?!? **_UGLY_ ** ?!?!?!??! WHY THE NERVE OF- DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU’RE SAYING RIGHT NOW!? HAVE YOU _SEEN_ ME??? DO YOU THINK IT’S _EASY_ KEEPING UP THIS APPEARANCE FOR A THOUSAND YEARS!??! WHY, IF I WASN’T KEEPING YOU ALIVE OUT OF SPITE I’D SET YOU ON _FIRE_ FOR THAT!! Besides, not like _you’re_ one to talk with… with your _bulbous_ nose and!! And! Those ‘oh I’m soooo sad’ eyes with the darkest eye bags I’ve EVER seen! And-”

“Uh huh. Good night.” At that, he scrunched his large body up as much as he could beneath the kotatsu, covering his head with one of the extra cushions.


	2. A Being of Pure Violence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As promised, Natural escorts Zenos to the dwelling of the powerful dragon called Shinryu. On this journey, the duo also gets the opportunity to learn a little more about each other.

“I don’t suppose you’d be willing to  _ help… _ ?” Miles and miles past the last traces of civilization, the duo found themselves surrounded by a dozen bandits. Zenos stood his ground, katana in hand. Natural, on the other hand, sat by his side as if nothing exciting (or in this case, dangerous) was happening.

Twitching an ear and tilting his head, he hummed for the briefest moment. “ _ Mmm… yes that’ll do, I think. _ ” He climbed the length of the man’s massive body, settling himself upon his broad shoulders. “ _ I shall keep your neck warm and safe. Good luck. Do try not to get blood on my fur. _ ” 

Zenos stood in frozen silence. As usual, he made no change in expression or emotion, but the disappointment in his very aura could be felt for miles. “Fine.” He huffed. 

“If you’re done playin’ with your pet doggy we’ll ask again: give us your money!”

Zenos continued to stand his ground. “Come take it if you want it so bad.” 

“Well, boys! Ya heard ‘im!” At that, the men charged with various weapons in hand.

Despite being surrounded (as well as encumbered by a certain mischievous spirit), he dodged every attempted blow with unexpected grace. Several attempted attacks were countered by his swift blade, leaving some broken weapons, some detached limbs, and a few slit throats. “ _ I wonder, I wonder… _ ” Natural mused, ignoring all the action around him and instead quite literally sticking his nose where it didn’t belong; down the opening of Zenos’s robe. “ _ Ah, is  _ **_this_ ** _ it~? _ ” Attached to a fine, gold thread was a magnificent pendant; presumably the same that was presented to the owner of the ramen stand. 

“Hey!” Zenos snapped. “Alright, get  _ down _ !” He pulled the fox off his shoulders by the scruff of his neck and gently tossed him aside, still ensuring he’d land on his feet despite how badly he’d rather throw him against a nearby tree. Returning his attention to the fight at hand, he halted his next attack when he noticed the four surviving men shivering, staring at him in sheer terror. 

“Th- that insignia…”

“You’re… a member of the Galvus empire!?”

Zenos huffed, replacing the pendant within the safety of his robes. “The prince, if you must know.”

One of the men dropped to his knees, bowing with a reverence fit for a god. “M-my apologies, my lord! Please, please forgive m-”

His words were cut off by a blade intruding his open mouth going through to the back of his head. “Silence. I can’t stand grovellers.” Zenos growled. With a swift motion, he swiped the blade, cutting off half of the man’s head. The remaining survivors swiftly fled the scene before they were next. “Smart men…” He muttered. Zenos shook the blood from the katana’s blade before replacing it into its respective sheath. 

Natural happily trotted over to the scene to inspect the damage. “ _ Woooow, human! Great job! That was, what? Nine whole men you just killed? Not too shabby! _ ” His tail wagged furiously, causing his whole body to shake with it. 

“Well, it could have been  _ all  _ of them had you lifted a paw to help… Not that it matters, I suppose. They were laughably weak.” He continued down the path they were travelling. 

The duo traveled in silence for a good, long while. The road ahead didn’t seem to have an end, and the surrounding trees were their only other company. At long last, the fox finally found the words he wanted to say. “ _ So… I admittedly do not pay much attention to the affairs of you humans so perhaps I am mistaken; the emperors and their kin are… the top of the human food chain, are they not? _ ” 

“I suppose they are.”

“ _ Mhm. Mhm. _ ” He nodded. “ _ Emperors… all that power, all that wealth, grand palaces and vast acres of land to call their own… such is the life you’ve lived; the life you grew up in… A life that lesser men would gladly kill, die, and do far worse for even a small taste of it. Even those bandits just now surrounded a lone man and his pet for a shot at some pocket change. And yet, you’re still so empty, despite all this privilege. My question for you, human, is why? _ ”

“Would that I knew.” Zenos replied with a soft sigh. 

“ _ Think about it. We still have quite the journey ahead. Take your time and think of an answer. _ ”

That was a rather strange turn of events. Zenos was too distracted by the kitsune’s uncharacteristic demeanor to think of an answer right away. He thought long and hard, reflecting on his life thus far. What exactly was it that made him so different from others? So disconnected? Perhaps thinking aloud would help them come to a conclusion. “I was always alone. I received an education in my youth and was always considered to be brilliant. There weren’t many children my age with the same privilege of education, but the ones who were in my life, I couldn’t connect to; couldn’t relate to. I wasn’t like them. I struggled to understand them. As for palace life… it was luxurious, of course but when my father ascended to take the throne, that meant I was next in line and that I needed to be protected. I was constantly shadowed until my teens. The only thing that brought any ounce of excitement into my life was training with the blade. I wanted to test my strength, and thankfully my father was always absent, so it was easy enough for me to sneak out and go hunting. Going after stronger and stronger game was thrilling at first, but over time I suppose I grew too strong, and that became dull as well.” 

“ _ I see. _ ” Natural replied. “ _ You mentioned your father only, so I assume your mother… _ ”

“Died when I was too young to remember her.”

“ _ Mmm. No mother, no love from a father, and no friends to call your own… you were too brilliant and too strong to connect to others, but you’re next in line for the throne, as you say. Surely the idea of ruling over your fellow humans is something to look forward to. _ ”

“For some, perhaps.” Zenos shook his head. “But not me. I’ve seen the sort of life my father is forced to live. That life isn’t for me. The throne is nothing more than a luxurious prison with the people of the land keeping watch of your every move. I’d sooner die.” His footsteps seemed to slow, which Natural almost hadn’t noticed until he got too far ahead. The fox stopped in his tracks for a moment so the man could catch up. “...A pampered life isn’t as great as it sounds. I know so little of this world outside of those walls. I had to learn on my own. I want to be independent, but I don’t know what I should do with myself. The only joy I can find in this world is on the battlefield, not knowing if the next encounter will be my last…”

“ _And now you long for the battle that will free you from this mortal coil. I think I understand better now._ _Thank you for indulging me._ ” 

“Mhm.” It was strange seeing Natural act so serious all of a sudden. Zenos couldn’t help wondering which side of him was more true to his nature; the little shit who seemed to thrive on tormenting him, or… whatever this is. For once, he grew uncomfortable with the silence between them. “So… Do you know much about my opponent? It’d be nice to know what to expect.”

“ _ Gathering intel on the enemy before facing him? Rather smart of you, human. Luckily for you, I do know a few things. _ ” They stopped at a crossroads for a brief moment. Natural sniffed the air first at the west road, then again at the east. He settled for the western road. “ _ So much easier to see where we’re going in the autumn and winter… too many leaves on the trees in spring. Anyroad… your inquiry. Shinryu is a gigantic, serpentine dragon. One would say he is the very incarnation of pure violence; from his temperament to his very body covered head to toe in spikes and sharp scales. A part of his body seems to be the source of his command over elements; fire, wind, lighting, ice, you name it. Since it is death you seek, I’ll let you be the one to figure where that power source is for yourself rather than give it away; though I caution you to keep that desire to yourself this time. That dragon seems to be quite the bitter bastard and I’d hate for him to follow us on this journey next. _ ”

Zenos snorted. “No need to tell me twice…”

The fox chuckled. “ _ Because he resides atop a mountain, he’ll likely use the environment to his advantage- especially since you’re a fragile human. If that creature’s body doesn’t destroy you, the surrounding area and sheer height of flinging you over the mountain’s edge surely will. Hmmmmm you just might get your wish after all, human. The odds are certainly against you. _ ”

“I suppose we’ll see, won’t we?” Though he replied calmly, he could feel a small flutter of excitement in his chest. A creature who only seeks battle with spirits to test his own might… this may be exactly what he needed. Another chuckle could faintly be heard from his companion. 

“ _ You seem excited. Good! Though you should try to be calm for now. We won’t see that mountain until tomorrow, most likely. Once we reach the end of the road, we’ll need to make camp. You’ll need your energy for the climb and the coming fight. _ ”

“That’s understandable I suppose.”

“ **_And yannoooo…_ ** _ it gets rather chilly in these parts, so we will surely need to sleep together to keep warm! Fear not, my tails will surely keep you nice and warm.~ _ ”

“No. I told you, that’s indecent.” 

“ _ Oh there is  _ **_nothing_ ** _ indecent about sharing warmth to survive, you dull, dense, hard-headed  _ **_human_ ** _!” _

Unfortunately, Natural seemed to be back to his old self again. Though he wouldn’t dare admit this aloud, Zenos sort of prefers this side of him. It was certainly more entertaining than all the lesser men groveling at his feet at all hours of the day when he lived back home.

* * *

“OOOIIIIIIIIIIII YOU SCALEY OL’ BASTAAAAAAAAAAARRRD! SHOW YOURSEEEEEEELF!” 

The kitsune’s voice echoed across the vast emptiness of the mountain’s peak. Once again taking on his humanlike form, he stood out in the open, a gaping cave’s entrance presented ominously before them. A violent wind whipped snow and ice around their bodies, howling nearly as loud as the spirit’s voice just now. Despite the horrid weather and the possibility of his death laid before him, Zenos looked as unimpressed as ever, simply gazing absently about his surroundings to study the environment before the coming fight. “No wonder this creature’s such a violent bastard. This place seems like a miserable place to live.” 

“Psh! Don’t be silly, this is a  _ fine  _ mountain!” Natural snapped, almost seeming insulted. “He  _ probably  _ conjures this blizzard himself to keep weaklings like you away. I mean, were it not for  _ my  _ fires to keep us safe you probably  _ would have _ perished along the way. Speaking of…” He untucked his arms from beneath his sleeves, and with a snap of his clawed fingers, conjured a brilliant explosion several feet from the cave’s entrance. “OI!! I  _ KNOW  _ YOU’RE IN THERE SO  **GET OUT!** ” 

Two pairs of what appeared to be glowing, green eyes pierced the darkness. That seemed to finally do the trick. A low growl overtook the sound of howling wind as the blizzard seemed to weaken in intensity. Natural seemed to be right about its artificial nature. 

Natural twirled on his heels and returned to Zenos. “Welp! I got his attention for ya.” As he passed the man, he gave him a pat on the shoulder. “Though I know it’s not what you want, I’ll personally be rooting for you. Best of luck~!” With that, he disappeared in a flash of violet flame; no doubt seeking a safe spot to observe the struggle. 

It was Zenos’s turn to approach the cave. “Dragon Shinryu… I am Prince Zenos of the Galvus Empire. I have come to slay you at the behest of that dreadful spirit.” He drew one of the blades from its sheath and steeled himself, ready for whatever the dragon’s first move would be. “Come at me with everything you have. I’m ready.” 

In response, a violent gust of wind blew from the cave. An ordinary man may have been swept away, but Zenos stood his ground, digging his feet into the snow and dirt below. The dragon emerged from the cave at last, slowly, every so painfully slowly. He was indeed covered in razor-sharp spines and scales, his maw was lined with countless fangs that seemed to further unsheath as he roared into the sky, and upon his back was a pair of massive golden wings that shimmered in the light. Zenos could feel the adrenaline coarse through his body at the mere sight of the creature; he had never seen anything like it before. Perhaps this battle could have given him a more satisfying end than whatever that stupid fox would have had in store for him after all. Shinryu flew to the edge of the peak, his body being far too large to fight the human face-to-face. It would be risky, but Zenos could reach him just fine.

He charged at the dragon, dodging bolts of energy that shot from Shinryu’s body. It was difficult to make direct contact with his blade, but the force of the wind could still reach him. A strange energy seemed to fill the air and the earth rumbled beneath his feet, sending rock and snow scattering all around him. This wasn’t a move he could avoid, but he did his best to dodge and block any flying rocks that came for his head. A low growl from the beast and a faint glow from its left side signaled his next attack. To the east of Zenos, he could see water forming and building from thin air in the form of a tidal wave. 

> “... _ He’ll likely use the environment to his advantage... If that creature’s body doesn’t destroy you, the sheer height of flinging you over the mountain’s edge surely will. _ ”

Remembering Natural’s words, he made a sprint towards the water, and sure enough, when the wave came crashing down, it sent him flying across the peak nearly to the mountain’s edge. Now he knew he couldn’t afford to let his guard down for even a second. Shinryu sounded a mighty roar that sent him to his knees for a moment. Indeed, he truly was violence incarnated; right down to the sounds that came from his body. “Yes, more!” Zenos shouted as he leapt in for his next assault. For once, he was feeling excited. The dragon continued to strike with the green energy bolts. Zenos peered as best as he could to see where it was coming from and noticed his left wing glowing with an icy aura and emitting a blue rune. The man quickly looked around for what that might mean, and when he finally looked behind him, he fell to the ground, very narrowly dodging large icicles that shot at him from behind. 

Immediately after the strike, the dragon’s powerful tail came crashing down. Perfect! He charged for the tail, sheathing his current blade in favor of the second blade he dubbed “The Storm”. With rapid attacks infused with lightning energy, he struck the tail with all his might, finishing it off with a burst of electrical energy that caused the tail to twitch and slither off the mountain’s edge. Returning his attention to the dragon’s body, he noticed the wing glowing again, this time with a white rune. Shinryu’s body drew back with claws outstretched as if he seemed to be winding up for a physical attack. With the dissipation of the white rune, a snowstorm whipped up, clouding Zenos’s vision for a moment. Still, he rolled away from the possible physical attack, and sure enough, Shinryu’s claw came crashing down. Thankfully, the attack left him wide open for more blows from The Storm. 

Recoiling back from the pain, Shinryu roared another mighty roar, this time sending down a beam of pure energy upon the unsuspecting human. The first blow hit him, but the beam seemed to rain down continuous strikes in the same spots that he thankfully dodged. He needed to be careful of that. As he collected himself, both wings began to glow, one with the ice rune from before, and the other with a purple rune he hadn’t seen yet. Looking quickly behind him, it was the icicles again that he dodged with more grace than before. Unfortunately, he would not be so lucky with the other attack; showers of lightning crashed upon the field that caused him to quickly sheath The Storm before it could attract any unnecessary damage. 

At this point, it was obvious that Shinryu’s wings were the source of his power. Now he needed to think of a way to get on the dragon’s back and destroy them. Until then, he needed to see everything the beast had in store so he wouldn’t be caught unawares. Once more, his tail came crashing down, this time in front of him. Zenos drew his third blade this time, dubbed “The Swell” for its wind-aspected energies. It didn’t do as much damage as The Storm, and worked better against smaller opponents that he could whisk away in the winds, but it would have to do for the time-being in case another lightning bolt came crashing down. Like before, he dealt enough damage to send the tail slithering away, and like before, Shinryu prepared another attack during the assault; another quick blizzard, followed by the powerful beams of light.

Alright, he seemed to be catching on to his attack patterns. For now, his best bet for counter-attacks were when his tail would attempt to squash him. After a third ice storm, the dragon stood still, charging up another attack. Zenos braced himself for whatever he was preparing, and after what sounded like a snap of fingers, the ground below him froze solid. He stood perfectly still, knowing fully well that one false move could send him sliding over the edge, then was assaulted by the same ice exploding below him. It hurt, but the ground was once again safe to tread. Perhaps he had more tricks up his sleeve yet. 

“Yes! Give me your all!” Almost as if he were granting his wish, the tail came crashing down once more. Zenos decided to risk drawing The Storm again, rapidly striking the tail with blade and lightning both. After the tail’s retreat were more icicles that he dodged, as well as the beams of light. “Surely you can do more than that!” Zenos taunted. The dragon growled, and began charging another attack. A powerful wind began to swell behind him, occasionally pulsing with increasing power. This seemed to be another attempt to knock him off the mountain, so he headed towards the eye of this little storm. Two bursts of wind knocked him back, and the third sent him flying, thankfully just shy of the edge of the mountain. As he tried to get up, he found that he couldn’t move and Shinryu flew away. 

“Ah… it seems he  _ can  _ do more.” Zenos struggled with all the power he could muster, and just as he broke free of the chains that seemed to bind him, a powerful force crashed into the side of the peak; the dragon’s entire body. As it flew away and sent its human opponent flying, Zenos quickly took hold of one of the dragon’s massive scales. Perhaps this could be what he needed to destroy those blasted wings. Shinryu crashed into another nearby mountain, leveling the top of it, and did the same to a second mountain situated close by, promptly flinging Zenos into it, knocking the wind out of him. “Ah…” He coughed, tasting bitter iron in the process. That’s more like it. 

Zenos stood alone on one plateau while Shinryu stood alone at the next, staring him down. There was little hope of reaching him from here, was he up to something? At the sound of the dragon’s deafening roar, several meteors crashed down around Zenos, and from within hatched many smaller dragons in its likeness. “Is that all!?” Zenos mocked. The Swell would work just fine for this mob. As he took the smaller dragons out with nearly the same ease as the bandits in the forest, he couldn’t help but wonder if this was how the dragon meant to wear Zenos down as he himself recovered. It mattered not to him, for the outcome of this battle was of no consequence to him no matter who emerged victorious. The meteors and dragonlings came in several waves, but it was nothing Zenos couldn’t handle (even if it was successfully wearing him down).

In the corner of his eye, he caught the sight of Shinryu collecting an ever-growing beam of green energy in its maw. So that’s what this was; a distraction so he could prepare his ultimate attack. Well, that was exciting, but now he needed to act fast. After a third wave of dragonlings, he utilized the winds of The Swell to pile the corpses into a makeshift shield against the attack. As the beam fired, he rolled away from the scapegoat shield that disintegrated in an instant. Were the attack wide enough to cover the entire field upon which he stood, he surely would have perished. 

Shinryu emitted a sinister roar that almost sounded like he was laughing. Perhaps he too longed for such a challenging opponent after dwelling alone on this mountain for who-knows-how-long. The tip of the dragon’s tail struck the top of the plateau, sending Zenos flying back, but it seemed to form a bridge to where Shinryu stood. Zenos accepted this invitation without hesitation and sprinted along the spikes, taking care to dodge the green beams of energy he shot from his wings as Zenos ran. Though his goal was the wings, Shinryu instead knocked Zenos off his back before he could get that far. No matter, he was properly face-to-face with the beast at last and could better land his attacks. Playing it safe for now, he swapped The Swell for his regular katana and struck the monster’s legs with all his might. 

Though the reach was most welcome, it did present new challenges with Shinryu occasionally swiping at the man with his claws. These blows were difficult for him to dodge, but every strike at his flesh only urged him to fight harder. For the first time in ages, he could see his own blood splashed across their battlefield. A chill filled the air as Shinryu sent another gust of cold winter air across the field. With more of his flesh now exposed to the elements, Zenos simply made a dash around the massive beast to keep himself warm. Shinryu seemed to be growing more desperate with every attack; slashing with his claws, roaring with a burst of colorful lightning, and still firing the never-ending energy bullets down upon him. Zenos was growing increasingly uncertain of how much more he could take. 

Finally, he got the opening he had been craving: as the dragon stood still to charge one more powerful attack, several small tornadoes formed around the field. Taking a risk, Zenos rode one of the winds that sent him flying upon the dragon’s back. With The Storm in hand, he used every ounce of his strength to deal devastating blows to the wings. One finally shuddered and lowered in defeat, and before the second could finish charging whatever attack he was preparing, Zenos summoned all his strength to deal several powerful, rapid blows that caused it to do the same. Shinryu roared and his body shook and shuddered, sending the man hurtling back down to the ground. 

Zenos charged in to deal the final blows when he was stopped in his tracks. “Wait!!” The one stopping him was none other than Natural, who seemed to appear atop a nearby boulder out of nowhere. “Use this!” The kitsune tossed something that Zenos caught with his free hand; a stone talisman threaded by a twisted cloth rope. “Concentrate your will into that talisman and overtake his own. Trust me!” 

This was a strange, unexpected turn of events, but perhaps the creature before him could not be killed by normal means. He decided to put his faith in Natural. Closing his eyes, he held the talisman before him, concentrating with all his might. He could hear the dragon roaring and writing in retaliation, but after a few moments, all was silent. When he opened his eyes, Shinryu was nowhere to be seen. Zenos was victorious. His gaze trailed to the stone in his hand, now engraved with a symbol that was lined with a faint green glow that was not present before. As he blinked, his hand was suddenly empty; the talisman having been swiped by his kitsune companion.

“Ehehehe…” The soft chuckle quickly erupted into howling laughter as the fox threw his head back, exposing the rows of dangerously sharpened fangs that Zenos hadn’t noticed even his human form retained. He held the thread tightly in his fist, holding the talisman closely to his face, mere inches away from his eyes. “I told you… I  **told** you that when I returned, I’d make you suffer a fate  _ WORSE  _ than death! And now look at you! At the beck and call, at the  _ MERCY  _ of a weak, pathetic  **_HUMAN_ ** !! AHAHAHAHAAHHAAHA!!” Natural shook the talisman violently in his fist that now seemed to glow with increasing intensity as if the dragon’s spirit within was furious with his words. Once Natural calmed, he cleared his throat. “Ahem. Good job, human.~” He chimed, carelessly tossing the talisman back to Zenos. 

Zenos sat dumbfounded, trying to process the last few moments. “Uhm. Thank you? What… exactly happened?” Natural held out his hand to help the man to his feet.

“You’ve captured the dragon’s soul within that talisman. If you wish upon it with all your heart, he will fight by your side whenever you may need him. As long as he remains trapped there, he will never ever die, doomed to remain a prisoner to fight your battles and the battles of whomever will acquire that treasure after your death. Now, come.” He held out both his hands before him, which Zenos took in his own after a moment of hesitation. In an instant, they were surrounded by flame, and once it dissipated, they were back upon the mountain with the cave where the fight first began. 

The battle must have had quite the impact on the mountain; rubble lay where there was once snow, and the persistent winds that howled upon their first arrival were no more. Even the sun seemed to shine a little brighter as it began to set in the west. It was actually quite a beautiful sight, would that he only cared for such things. 

“You see…” Natural started, taking several steps towards the cave. “...hundreds of years ago, this mountain was my home.” 

“It… was?”

“Mhm.” He nodded. “It was on my 500th year that the dreadful beast came butting in on my once-gorgeous domain and challenged me to claim it. Needless to say, back then I wasn’t nearly as strong as I am now, and he unfortunately defeated me, but I escaped before he could kill me. I swore an oath of vengeance upon him on that day; that when I returned, I’d subject him to a fate even worse than death.” With a flick of his wrist, a lovely staff appeared in a spark of flame that he took gracefully in his hands. Natural turned to Zenos, pointing at the talisman. “For creatures like me and for that dragon, you humans mean nothing to us. You conquer and claim these lands as your own and do everything in your power to become strong, to claw to the top of the food chain, but your strength is miniscule compared to us. For one such as him to become your servant, to have no choice but to answer to your beck and call, is even more humiliating than dying by your hand. But now you’ve proven you really aren’t like other humans. You’re special.” He smiled at him with a surprisingly warm smile.

“Alas, you’re not the first to say so…” Zenos sighed, peering at the talisman in his hand. The stone was warm to the touch, and the green light seemed to fade back into a soft glow. He decided to tie the talisman safely to his waist alongside his katanas. 

“Forgive me.” He replied with an uncharacteristic sadness in his voice. Now that he was aware of Zenos’s past, he figured in hindsight that probably wasn’t the best choice of words. “One moment, please.” With staff in hand, he faced the cave. A sparkling light started to surround the kitsune, and slowly, he gracefully danced around the space, twirling the staff and singing an incantation in a language Zenos couldn’t understand. As his feet made contact with the earth, the sparkling light lingered until it seemed to fill the mountaintop. Once again, were it not for the circumstances, Zenos would say Natural was quite beautiful; even more so now. “Hah!” Natural landed back at the center of the place upon which they stood on one foot, flicking his arms out on either side of him that caused the sparkles to explode into faint diamond dust that was carried away by the breeze. “There. With that, this place is now officially mine again.” With a satisfied nod, the staff in his hand disappeared with the same flames as before. 

The surroundings appeared unchanged, but Zenos guessed that must have been some sort of spell Natural used to claim his territory to keep other spirits out. The kitsune approached Zenos with a little bounce in his step and swish of his nine tails.

“Now hold still while I heal you.” A gentle hand was placed atop Zenos’s head and he could feel his lost energy gradually returning and the wounds on his body slowly closed. Natural hummed that same hum he did whenever he was deep in thought. “Well! If a spirit-destroying monster can’t kill you, why don’t we try a god next?”


End file.
